Derwent Artists Pencils

The smooth, perfectly round barrel of this popular artist's pencil encourages easy movement and expressive drawing.

The pencil's composition is soft but not crumbly, with a slightly waxy texture for easy blending and shading. The 4 mm diameter color strip allows naturally broad strokes and strong lines.

By simply adding more pressure on the paper, color strength can be varied from faint and delicate to bold and intense.

Black and White Colors, Set of 6
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This unique set of six warm and cool tones can be blended easily to build up subtle tones and hues. Use them for bold contrasting work, portraits, or detailed illustrations. The set includes one each of Pure, Arctic, Oyster, Raven, Midnight, and Forest, in a metal tin.

Shipping Note — Due to manufacturer distribution restrictions, Derwent products cannot be shipped to addresses outside of North America.

i was really disappointed in these pencils and don't understand the good reviews..i use these for drawing and adult coloring books and i find the colors are washed out and the color doesn't lay down nice at all....i think i have every line of colored pencils and these are the worst, for me, i will never use them...

I almost sent these back after trying the studio pencils but I'm glad I decided to give them a try. They are not in the category of prismas and polys as far as laying down a lot of pigment or for softness, but they layer very well when I want to do soft layers and build up color. They are much dryer and harder, but they keep their point very well so even without the narrower leads of the studio line, these are also great for details. I like them, but I don't use them nearly as much as some of my other pencils, usually reserving for softer tones pieces with light layers that are difficult to achieve with the softer pencils that put out too much pigment right away.

Read the review by By fnmc/from KCMO. I would agree with him 100% with the exception of the following: These pencils are a "Clay-Wax" mixture; this is what gives them their hardness. The benefits of these pencils are that in addition to a beautiful palette, the work extremely well on medium paper surfaces, along with smooth paper surfaces. These pencils are the same as the Studio line as well but with a thicker core. Basically you're getting almost 1 + 1/2 pencils in one vs. the Derwent Studio line of color pencils.

These pencils are the real deal. Beautiful colors, not generally found in the Faber-Castell or Prismacolor lines. They are definitely a hard wax pencil. So it's really unfair to compare them (or any other colored pencil for that matter) to the Prismacolor pencils. Open stock was what I was looking for as 9 colors were called out from this line for a project I'm working on. Sure, I could fudge it and find a similar color in my plethora of other colored pencil lines, but I didn't want to turn down the opportunity to try this line from Derwent. Well, wouldn't you know it, I couldn't get all nine unless, yep you guessed it unless I ordered the 120 set. Not happening with my budget at the moment. So I simply went to the Derwent website, added the 9 colors I wanted and on my door direct from the UK were all 9 gorgeous pencils perfectly intact inside a box. I've held lots of colored pencil brands, but these just were so slick and professional, so that 120 set will be mine in not that long of a time span. But that is what I wanted to bring to the attention of those that purchase these sets. Eventually, you will run out of a color and with no open stock in the US that hinders people from trying them. Derwent is making a huge mistake because these are one of their best lines and the quality is phenomenal. But for me, as long as I can get certain pencil colors only from the UK, I'm fine with investing in this Artists line from Derwent.

However, they do make more colors available in the Artist line (up to 120 colors), and Derwent will not sell the 120 tin or open-stock to any Vendor outside of England. I guess the Brits, want something that only Brits can get inside the UK. This is the only reason for 4 stars. I am mad that I cannot get a 120 Tin and open-stock ... This is the fault of Derwent and Derwent only.

That said, I do plan on buying a set of 120 once I justify the cost (aka Birthday or X-Mas money lol)simply because I love the Studio line. Both these Products have their own unique "palette," something that Derwnet does very well; examples Coloursoft, Drawing, Artist/Studio all have their own "palette" or Hue/Value/Chroma if you prefer.Back to the point: I plan on getting them because (again), I love the Studio and the Artist line with their thicker core will allow for easier washes of color for big areas where as the Studio are best used for Details & Smaller areas of color.

I already own a number of Derwent studio pencils and so wanted to try the artist line. I like Derwent's colors. I find the artist pencils to be softer than the studio line, but not nearly as soft as Prismacolor. Still, these mixed well with Prismacolor, as well as with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. I like them!